Adjustable shelf structure

ABSTRACT

An angularly and linearly adjustable shelf structure for mounting on a tiltable supporting surface, such as a desk, drawing board, drafting table, and the like, includes a base frame mounted on the tiltable supporting surface and having a pair of spaced elongated upstanding portions each supporting, for longitudinal movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair of brackets each extending upwardly, for tiltable movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair of ratchet portions depending from a shelf member.

0 United States Patent [191 1111 3,848,543

Johnston 1 1 Nov. 19, 1974 ADJUSTABLE SHELF STRUCTURE 2,013,542 9/1935Nordmark .1 1023/5 x 2,05l,490 8 1936 L' htf t inventor: Rlchard L.JOhllStOll, Shawnee, Kans- 2,689,157 9 1954 De Censo [73] Assignees:Richard L. Johnston, Shawnee; S 3,202,392 8/1965 Wallace 108/5 X L.Ruben, Mission, both of, Kans. I Prtmary ExammerPaul R. Gilliam Flledi26, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmFishburn, Gold & Litman [21] A l. No.:344 880 pp 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 108/5 An angular), and.linearlyadjustflble Shelf Structure for mountlng on a tiltable supportingsurface, such as a [51] Int. Cl. A47f 5/12 desk, drawing board, draftingtable, and the like, in- [58] Fleld of Search 108/1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-10,

248/454 456 cludes a base frame mounted on the tlltable supportmgsurface and having a pair of spaced elongated up- [56] Reerences Citedstanding portions egch supporting, for longiftudinal 1 movement re ativet ereto, a respective one o a pair UNITED STATES PATENTS of bracketseach extending upwardly, for tiltable 727,438 5/l903 Piner lO8/5movement relative thereto, a respective one of a pair L P %;7; ofratchet portions depending from a shelf member. ansen 5g m3 5 1932 1Claim, 4 Drawing Figures Menor 108/5 PATENI rm 1 91914 'SHEEI 1 OF 2PATENTEL raw 1 91914 3', 848.543

SHEET 2 BF 2 i ADJUSTABLE SHELF STRUCTURE The present invention relatesto shelf structures and more partiuclarly to an adjustable shelfstructure which is angularly and linearly movable relative to a tiltablesupporting surface.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide anangularly and linearly adjustable shelf structure formounting on atiltable supporting surface, such as a desk, drawing board, draftingtable, and the like; to provide such an adjustable shelf structureadapted for displaying business records, reference materials, drawingand drafting tools and the like; to provide such an adjustable shelfstructure adapted to permit efficient organization of a work area usedfor drafting, drawing, illustration, art work, and the like; to providesuch an adjustable shelf structure which is adjusted linearly relativeto a tiltable supporting surface by lifting a shelf member to disengagecooperating portions and moving the shelf member to a desired locationand lowering the shelf member to engage cooperating portions; to providesuch a structure which is adjusted angularly relative to the supportingsurface by lifting to disengage cooperating portions, tilting the shelfmember to the desired position, and lowering the shelf member to engagethe cooperating portions to thereby maintain the shelf member in theadjusted location; to provide such an adjustable shelf structure havinga base frame which may be raised to permita portion. of an'illustrationboard, paper, or the like, to be positioned under the base frame; and toprovide such an adjustable shelf structure which is economical tomanufacture, durable in construction, positive in operation, andparticularly well adapted for its intended use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include anexemplary embodiment of the present invention and illustrate variousobjects and features of the adjustable shelf structure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable shelf structure formounting on a tiltable supporting surface and embodying features of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the adjustable shelf structure.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the adjustable shelf structure witha part in raised position shown in broken lines.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the adjustable shelf structure witha part in tilted position shown in broken lines.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in vari-.ous forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limtiltable movementrelative thereto, a respective one of a pair of rachet portions 9 and 10depending from a .shelf 11.

In the illustrated structure, the base frame 3 includes a generallyplanar member12 engageable with the generally planar supporting surface2. A flange l3 depends from the planar member 12 and is engageable withan upper or outer edge surface 14 of the supporting surface 2. Theflange 13 has a plurality of notches 15 spaced along a lower edgethereof adapted to receive, if desired, a respective one of a pluralityof projections 16 extending outwardly from the edge surface 14.

The upstanding portions 4 and 5 of the base frame 3 may be any suitablestructural member, such as a plate, angle, channel, or the like, and inthe illustrated structure, the upstanding portions 4 and 5 are elongatedangles each having one leg thereof extending upwardly from the planarmember 12 and each having an upper edge '17 with a plurality oflongitudinally spaced notches 18 therein which are upwardly andrearwardly open. A slot or way 19 extends longitudinally within theupstanding leg of the portions 4 and 5. t

The illustrated upper frame 8 includes a pair of spaced generally planararms 20 and 21 and a suitable member 22 extending between and havingrespective opposite ends thereof suitably connected to the arms 20 and21, as by welding, thereby defining a substantially U-shaped member. Theconnecting member 22 is herein illustrated as a rod or bar, although itmay take other shapes. The'brackets 6 and 7 are secured to thearms 20and 21, as by welding, whereby the frame 8 and brackets 6 and 7 form aunitary structure movable by grapsing the member 22.

The brackets 6 and 7 are each generally U-shaped and respectivelyinclude a'pair of spaced upstanding plates or flanges 23 and 24connected to a web portion 25 extending therebetween.

The brackets 6 and 7 each have a first member or portion 26 extendingbetween the flanges 23 and 24 near the forward edges thereof and adaptedto be received in and movable along the slots 19 in the respectiveupstanding portion 4 and 5 of the base frame 3.

The brackets 6 and 7 also each include a second member or portion 27extending between the flanges 23 and 24 of the respective bracket andextending outiting but merely as a basis for the claims andas arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailedstructure.

In the disclosed embodiment of the present invention, the referencenumeral 1 generally designates an wardly therefrom. The second member orportion 27 is positioned above the web portion 25 and the first memberor portion 26 and rearwardly of the first member or portion26. Thesecond portion 27 is adapted to be received in a respectiveone of thenotches 18 in the upper edge 17 of the respective upstanding elongatedportion 4 and 5 of the base frame 3 to maintain the shelf member 11 in aselected adjusted linear position relative to the supporting surface 2.The brackets 6 and 7 each have surfaces in each of the flanges 23 and 24thereof defining an upwardly or substantially vertically extending slotor way 28, for a purpose later described.

The brackets 6 and 7 also each include a stop member 29, here in theform of a rod or shaft, and positioned rearwardly and above the secondmember or portion 27. The ratchet portions 9 and 10, depending from theshelf 11, are each positioned between the flanges 23 and 24 of arespective one of the brackets 6 and 7 and have an arcuate lower edge 30forming a plurality of spaced teeth 31 extending from the edge 30 anddefining notches 32 therebetween adapted to receive the stop members 29.

The ratchet portions 9 and each have a shaft 33 extending therethroughwith opposite end portions 34 and 35 projecting outwardly therefrom andadapted to be received within the slot or way 28 in the respectiveflanges 23 and 24.

stop members 29 to be received within a respective one of the notches32. 7

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and I described oneform of my invention, it is not to be lim- The shelf 11 may be anysuitable member adapted to support records, reference materials, drawingand drafting tools, and the like, and includes a generally planarportion 36 and edge portion 37 positioned adjacent the front, normallylower edge thereof.

Use of an adjustable shelf structure constructed as illustrated anddescribed, is simple and direct. When it is desired to move the shelfstructure 11 linearly rela tive to the edge surface 14, the structure islifted by grasping the member 22 and tilted to a position such as shownin broken lines, FIG. 4. This moves the second portions 27 out of therespective notches 18, permitting movement of the portions 26, and theshelf 11, along the ways 19. When the shelf 11 is at the desiredposition, it is lowered, thereby pivotting the brackets 6 and 7 aboutthe first portions 26 and into the newly selected notch for retention.

When it is desired to tilt the shelf 11 into a new position relative tothe supporting surface 2, the shelf 11 is lifted with respect to thebrackets 6 and 7, thereby moving the ratchet portions 9 and 10 out ofengagement with the stop members 29 and moving the shafts 33 upwardly inthe ways 28, see broken lines, FIG. 3. The shelf 11 may then be tiltedto the desired position relative to the supporting surface 2 whereuponthe ratchet portions 9 and 10 are lowered to permit the ited to thespecific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown exceptinsofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.

What 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An adjustableshelf structure comprising:

a. a base frame and means thereon for mounting said frame on asupporting surface, said base frame having a pair of spaced elongatedstructural members each with a forward end and a rear end and extendinghorizontally and upwardly and each having an upper horizontallyextending edge with a plurality of spaced notches therein, saidelongated structural members having an elongated horizontally extendingway therein,

b. an upper frame located above said base frame, and including a pair ofspaced brackets, said spaced brackets each having an upstanding flange,

c. a first rod mounted on each of said flanges and projecting into arespective base frame way, a second rod mounted on each of said flangesand spaced above and rearwardly offset from said first rod and adaptedto be selectively received in a respective one of the notches in saidupper edges,

(1. a shelf member positioned above said upper frame,

said shelf member having a pair of spaced depending portionsrespectively received adjacent said flanges, said depending portionseach having an arcuate lower edge with a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced notches therein,

e. a rod projecting from each of said depending portions, said bracketseach having an upwardly extending way therein receiving said dependingportion rod, and

f. a stop member mounted on each of said bracket flanges and received ina respective one of the notches of said depending portions.

1. An adjustable shelf structure comprising: a. a base frame and meansthereon for mounting said frame on a supporting surface, said base framehaving a pair of spaced elongated structural members each with a forwardend and a rear end and extending horizontally and upwardly and eachhaving an upper horizontally extending edge with a plurality of spacednotches therein, said elongated structural members having an elongatedhorizontally extending way therein, b. an upper frame located above saidbase frame, and including a pair of spaced brackets, said spacedbrackets each having an upstanding flange, c. a first rod mounted oneach of said flanges and projecting into a respective base frame way, asecond rod mounted on each of said flanges and spaced above andrearwardly offset from said first rod and adapted to be selectivelyreceived in a respective one of the notches in said upper edges, d. ashelf member positioned above said upper frame, said shelf member havinga pair of spaced depending portions respectively received adjacent saidflanges, said depending portions each having an arcuate lower edge witha plurality of circumferentially spaced notches therein, e. a rodprojecting from each of said depending portions, said brackets eachhaving an upwardly extending way therein receiving said dependingportion rod, and f. a stop member mounted on each of said bracketflanges and received in a respective one of the notches of saiddepending portions.